Serious Spiritual People Suck!

All right. I admit it. That title is a bit harsh. But I guess I’m qualified to write it, since the person I’m mostly talking about is myself! You see I spent a significant portion of my life being a serious spiritual person. And most of the time, when I was serious, I sucked!

And yesterday I caught myself falling right back into that sucky, serious, spiritual space and I didn’t like it! My daughter was in a great, goofy mood, and I just couldn’t meet her there. That, old, core belief that to be spiritual you have to be serious had taken over the controls again and all goofiness and fun was out the window.

The problem many of us spiritual people have, is that our models of spirituality are all serious. Think about it: have you ever seen a picture of Jesus smiling? How about God? Any candid camera snapshots of the big guy in the sky cracking up?

And how about bible stories? When was the last time you had a good belly laugh while reading that good book?

Eastern religions seem to have a bit more lightness. Think of the laughing Buddha statues. I love those. And yet, when you read the story of the Buddha’s life there doesn’t seem like there was a whole lot of goofing around happening during his lifetime.

What’s up with that? Who made the rule that spirituality and fun and joy and laughter and lightness don’t mix?

I realized just how much of a core belief this is for me just now when I watched a video of Ken Wilbur talking about Big Mind or the part of us that is the observer, detached from the events in our life. As I dropped in and tried to find that Big Mind space in me, I realized that I didn’t want to find it because if I did, I believed that I would have to spend the rest of my life being serious and stoic and removed from life.

That doesn’t really provide a whole lot of motivation to go and find the Big Mind!

So I’m embarking on a “Lighten Up Francis” campaign for spiritual people – especially myself! (And if you don’t get that reference you obviously missed one of the classics of contemporary western cinema!)

I mean, how’s the serious thing been working for you? If you’re like me, not so well!

There actually are some examples of light-hearted, deeply spiritual people. When I visited Agape a month or so ago, I was cracking up. Michael Beckwith was smiling and laughing and joking… And it was one of the most deeply moving and transformational experiences I have ever had at an organized religious event.

The emergence of Rumi and the light-hearted Sufi poets as spiritual models is another example.

The Dalai Lama also seems to exude a lightness in the midst of his profound presence. You often see him smiling or grinning. And sometimes it sure looks like a pretty mischievous grin, if you ask me!

And what about all of these new – and not so new – spiritual development practices that are filled with light and lightness? Transformational dance workshops, tantra, high-energy intensives (think Tony Robbins) laughter yoga, karaoke seminars (well, I haven’t seen any karaoke seminars yet, but you get the point). We’re beginning to recognize that spiritual development can actually be fun.

In fact, I’ve come to believe that the more fun you have, the more joy you experience in your life and in your spiritual development practices, the more you actually develop spiritually!

Now some might say we’ve gone too far, that the pendulum has swung to the other side and there is too much lightness and indulgence in our modern spiritual development practices.

Well how about if we all just stand up right now and moon those folks!

So the pendulum has swung. Big deal! Pendulums do that. And we sure do need a break from the super serious spiritual systems of the past.

What can you do today to bring some lightness to your spiritual practice? How about listening to an old Steve Martin recording during your meditation practice? How about playing Weird Al Yankovich songs when you teach your yoga class! Alright, maybe that would be too far!

But seriously… no, scratch that… see if you can find a way to merge fun and spiritual practice today. Let me know what you come up with. I’d love to hear about your Lighten Up Francis adventures!

There are 3 comments on Serious Spiritual People Suck!

Buddy christ is one of my favorite pictures of Jesus as He has mostly been portrayed as the saddest person ever lived. He also looks so old in those. For me He loves happiness as much as we do and truly wants all his children to be happy, very very happy. The only thing that we’ve got to take care while seeking happiness is not to go far away from his vicinity (read rules), to the bushes or to the jungle out there, again just for us not to miss out his utmost care. Just like a mother who wouldn’t want her children to go too far away to play.

It was nice reading your post. May Jesus make yours and the people around yours everyday happy 🙂

Spirituality goes beyond coarse laughing
beyond eating hamburgers
beyond smoking
beyond laughing with sillyness
Yet, that doesn t mean you can t be a silly person from time to time, offcourse you can!
But the difference between spiritual people and silly people, is that spirituality will safe you from getting lost in that siliness, … Siliness can be addictive, it s ok though, but keep a good balance…
God and Buddha are figures who show us to take peace. Ever seen one with a peacefull laugh, and one with a fat laugh, laughing his ass off, with an empty heart, just laughing the fuck with bullshit and ‘enjoying life to the fullest’ with all bench off crappy/fat food, etc… Humor is ok though, but it s about not getting lost into anything…..

Maintain balance! And act like a grown up if you are one, and offcourse laugh with life, relativate, … you have no idea what the bible and dalai lama tells us, with that information we are able to laugh are ass truely off! with a deeper heart connection, always look into your heart!